Exploring “Characters: Type in Action” at MODA

Typography, the art of arranging letters and symbols to make language readable and appealing, has long been a powerful force in the fight for social justice. MODA, the Museum of Design Atlanta, explores the role that typography plays in today’s social justice movements with the exhibit Characters: Type in Action – on display now.

Characters: Type in Action showcases the work of Tré Seals, an independent design practitioner and founder of the diversity-driven type foundry, Vocal Type. Seals ties typography to pivotal historical moments, drawing attention to underrepresented races, ethnicities, or genders from civil rights and suffrage movements. By recontextualizing fonts, the exhibit demonstrates how typefaces can be functional, decorative, and important tools for activism.

Highlights include the Harriet typeface, named for Harriet Tubman, which incorporates quilt patterns that guided individuals to safety along the Underground Railroad. W.E.B. Du Bois’ materials from the 1901 Paris Exposition inspired VTC Dubois typeface, while VTC Ruby (named from Ruby Bridges) reassigns new meanings to typefaces commonly used during the Jim Crow era. VTC Bayard celebrates the work of civil and gay rights advocate Bayard Rustin, while VTC Martin pays homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the lettering used in the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike. VTC Marsha (named for Marsha P. Johnson) recreates typeface from advocacy materials seen during the 1960s and 1970s gay rights movement. The exhibit also recognizes the social justice work of Eva Perón, Carrie Chapman Catt, Jimi Hendrix, Spike Lee, and many more.

Characters: Type in Action also encourages guests to consider their own role in the ongoing fight for social justice. The exhibit highlights the contemporary application of Seals’ typography in modern social and political landscapes, such as public art and political campaigns. Georgia’s own Stacey Abrams, for example, has used Seals’ typography in her own political materials.

Characters: Type in Action will be on display September 19, 2024, through January 20, 2025, at MODA. For more information, visit MODA’s website. MODA is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12:00 to 7:00 pm. The museum is located at 1315 Peachtree Street NE in the Midtown Arts District, directly across the street from the Woodruff Arts Center.